From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplasticplas‧tic1 /ˈplæstɪk/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective 1 TIMHCEmade of plastic a plastic spoon plastic bags2 technicalCF a plastic substance can be formed into many different shapes and keeps the shape it is formed into until someone changes it3 ARTIFICIALsomething that is plastic looks or tastes artificial or not natural plastic food I hate that plastic smile of hers.
Examples from the Corpus
plastic• But not the man with the plastic bag.• The murder weapon, a Kalashnikov free of fingerprints, was left at the scene in a plastic bag.• By mid-century, Californians Charles and Ray Eames had molded their plastic chaise for a 1948 museum competition.• They closed a few plants and decided to use the idle machinery to make plastic chips for cigarette filters.• People emerge from the casinos with beers in one hand and plastic cups full of change in the other.• She just let her feet get wet in their sensible plastic sandals.• A clear plastic tarp flapped and ballooned in the breeze.• I tried to find the plastic value of these fragments of our modern life.plasticplastic2 ●●● S3 W2 noun 1 [countable, uncountable]HCP a light strong material that is produced by a chemical process, and which can be made into different shapes when it is soft children’s toys made of plastic the plastics industry2 [uncountable] informalBFMONEY small plastic cards that are used to pay for things instead of money SYN credit cards ‘I haven’t got any cash.’ ‘Don’t worry, I’ll stick it on the plastic (=pay for it using a credit card).’ Do they take plastic? (=can you pay using a credit card?)Examples from the Corpus
plastic• Not a piece of sticky-back plastic, a toilet roll or a Blue Peter badge in sight!• Some industries, for example plastics, will evidently not be greatly affected.• The doors are made of plastic so they don't dent.• You have the following equipment: a large piece of plastic, rope, and an air tank.• The company experimented with various plastics but found that aluminum was still the best option.• I didn't have the cash for a trip home, so I paid with plastic.From Longman Business Dictionaryplasticplas‧tic /ˈplæstɪk/ noun [uncountable] informal a CREDIT CARD, or credit cards in generalI’m going to have to pay for this with plastic.Origin plastic2 (1500-1600) Latin plasticus “of shaping”, from Greek plastikos, from plassein “to shape, form, plaster” 